Panel/gate interconnection means for a collapsible materials handling container

ABSTRACT

The invention provides improved collapsible storage container ( 10 ) which has a first pair of folding side gates ( 11 ) and a second pair of folding end gates ( 12 ), with each gate ( 11, 12 ) being pivotally mounted with respect to a pallet base. Each gate ( 11 ) has detachably mounted along opposite vertical margins thereof approximately c-shaped posts ( 22 ) each of which has a locking flange ( 23 ). Each gate ( 12 ) has angle members ( 35 ) attached to and extending along opposite vertical frame members ( 30, 31 ) and forming therewith a flange receiving slot ( 40 ) for slidably locating a respective locking flange ( 23 ). The gates ( 11, 12 ) when in their erect positions interlock with one another along their adjacent vertical margins which enhances the stiffness and rigidity of the container ( 10 ).

This invention relates to an improved collapsible container formaterials handling purposes of the kind which includes a generallyrectangular base, and four pivotally mounted gates or panels which, canbe pivoted between erect in-use positions, wherein they extendvertically upwards from respective side edge portions of the base of thecontainer, and collapsed positions wherein they overlie one another ontop of the base.

Collapsible containers having side and end panels/gates which arepivotally attached to the container base for folding movement betweenupright erected positions and collapsed positions wherein they lie in aflat condition on top of the base, are well known in the materialshandling industry. Many different types of pivotal connections betweenthe panels/gates and the base have been utilised, including bothpermanent attachments therebetween, as well as detachable connectionswhich allow the panels/gates to be physically separated from the base ifrequired. When the panels/gates are erect, generally the oppositevertical perimeter frame members on one panel respectively abut againstinner faces of adjacent panels, with adjacent panels being interlockedby means of manually releasable locking or latching mechanisms which arenormally located at the top corners of the panels and which, when intheir locking conditions, securely lock the adjacent panels together intheir upright positions.

The materials handling industry is extremely competitive and one of theprime design factors for manufacturers of collapsible containers is thefabrication costs and the need to reduce the cost of manufacturewherever possible. One of the drawbacks of current container designs istheir inflexibility and in particular the inability to be able toreadily interchange one gate for another type of gate or replace anexisting infill panel with a different one, eg a solid one-piece infillpanel for a metal mesh infill panel.

It would be advantageous, from the point of view of cost of manufacture,for the side and end gates to have a modular construction so that amanufacturer's inventory of components for collapsible containers havingdifferent configurations, can be reduced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improvements to acollapsible container for the storage of goods/materials wherein thegates of the container are of modular design and can be interchanged inwhole or in part, with other gates.

It is another object of the present invention to provide gates for acollapsible materials handling container which are constructed in amanner which allows their infill panel to be readily changed for anotherinfix panel.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide animproved collapsible container having gates which, when erect, interlockwith one another and provide enhanced stiffness and rigidity to thecontainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention therefore, there isprovided a collapsible storage container comprising a base, two pairs ofopposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to thebase for folding movement between an erect in-use position and acollapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having

-   -   a rectangular or square infill panel having an inner face and an        outer face,    -   an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill        panel, characterised by:    -   first elongate perimeter frame attachment members attached to        and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the        side gates and each having a laterally inwards directed locking        flange which lies in a plane parallel to the plane of the inner        face of its associated said infill panel and spaced inwardly        therefrom,    -   second elongate perimeter frame attachment members attached to        and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end        gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange        receiving slot, said first and second frame attachment members        being interlockable such that, when the container is in an erect        in-use condition, said locking flanges locate in respective said        flange receiving slots, and    -   locking means arranged to releasably lock the first and second        frame attachment members against relative movement when        interlocked and to thereby lock adjacent side and end gates        together in their erect in-use position.

Preferably, each said second frame attachment member is an angle framemember having one flange contiguous with the inner face of itsassociated said infill panel, and its other flange projecting outwardlyand lying parallel with the vertical end face of the gate or panel andspaced therefrom so as to form a respective said flange receiving slotextending the entire length of the vertical edge of the gate.

Preferably, each said first frame attachment member is an approximateC-section post which terminates at one end in a laterally inwardsdirected planar locking flange which lies parallel to the plane of theinner face of its associated said panel and spaced inwardly therefrom,the free edge of the locking flange being spaced laterally outwards fromthe vertical margin of the outer frame, and at its other end in aninwardly directed attachment flange which is attachable to the verticalmargin of the outer frame.

Desirably, the C-section posts extend along both vertical side marginsof the outer frame and are detachably secured thereto.

Preferably the C-section posts are detachably secured by means of springloaded latch bolts which slide between an extended locking positionwherein each bolt passes through an aperture formed in the attachmentflange of the post, and a retracted unlocked position wherein the boltis disengaged from the aperture, whereupon the C-section post can bedetached from its gate.

Desirably, in order to securely interlock adjacent panels together whenin their erect in-use positions, there is provided a spring loadedslidable latching bolt mounted adjacent each of the upper corner regionsof the end gates and which is arranged to pass through aligned holes oropenings formed in the locking flange of the C-section post and theoutwardly projecting flange of the angle frame member.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided animproved collapsible storage container of the type comprising a base,two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted withrespect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-useposition and a collapsed position on top of the base, characterised inthat adjacent vertical margins of adjacent said gates when in theirerect in-use positions, have flange formations which interlock with oneanother, said interlocking flange formations being locked againstrelative movement by means of a sliding locking bolt mounted on one ofsaid gates and which passes through aligned holes formed in said flangeformations.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an improved gate assembly for a collapsible containerincluding:

-   -   a replaceable central infill panel which is either square or        rectangular,    -   outer frame members extending around the perimeter of the infill        panel on the outer face thereof, and    -   a pair of angle section frame members located on the inner        corners of said infill panel and each having one of its flanges        abutting the inner face of the infill panel and its other flange        extending along a vertical edge of the gate, said infill panel        being clampingly secured between said angle frame members and        the outer frame members by means of screws or other suitable        removable fasteners.

With this arrangement, if the infill panel needs to be changed withanother infill panel of a different type, eg a mesh panel instead of asolid plastics panel, this can be done quite readily without the need tofabricate an entirely new gate assembly.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an erect container (without lid) made inaccordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of adjacent gates of thecollapsible storage container shown in FIG. 1, when in their interlockederect in-use positions;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the erect panels shownin FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the panels shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is another fragmentary perspective view of the panel shown inFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the gate shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the gate of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the other gate shown in FIG.2; while

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary plan and side elevational views of theother gate shown in FIG. 8.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a collapsible storage container 10of the kind which includes a rectangular pallet base which is providedat each of its four corners with stub corner posts of angle section, thebase having a horizontal removable floor panel supported by a pluralityof upper deck metal members also of angle section. Additionalintermediate bearers are also provided to support the floor.

In this embodiment, the container 10 is provided with a first pair offolding side gates 11 and a second pair of opposite folding end gates12, each panel 11, 12 being pivotally mounted adjacent its bottomcorners to respective corner posts to allow the panel to swing inwardlyfrom its erect in-use position to a collapsed position on top of thepallet base. The panels 11, 12 when in their erect positions interlockwith one another along their adjacent vertical margins which enhancesthe stiffness and rigidity of the container when erected.

As shown in FIG. 3, folding gate 11 comprises an outer peripheral metalframe of tubular or angle section frame members 13, 14 to which aresecured a solid plastic infill panel 15 located on the inside of theframe members 13, 14. The panel 15 is damped to the outer metal frame bymeans of a pair of opposite angle section damping members 16 each ofwhich has one of its flanges 17 abutting against the inner face of thepanel 15, and its other flange 18 extending outwardly and spaced a shortdistance from the vertical end face of frame member 14 so as to form aflange receiving slot or recess 19. Screws 20 are used to fasten theangle section clamping members 16 and in turn the infill panel 15 to theouter metal frame members 13, 14.

Each gate 11 has detachably mounted along opposite sides thereofapproximate C-section posts 22 each of which has a laterally inwardsdirected locking flange 23 which is spaced forwardly of the inner faceof the infill panel 15, and an inwardly directed attachment returnflange 25 which locates in the slot or recess 19. Each post 22 isattached to the clamping member 16 by means of a plurality ofretractable spring loaded locking bolts 26 which are mounted in the topand bottom corner regions of the outer metal frame formed by the framemembers 13, 14. The locking bolts 26 are manually actuated by handles 27and desirably must be partly rotated before being able to slide axiallybetween their retracted and extended positions. When extended, the bolt26 passes through aligned holes formed in the flanges 18, 25 and alsothe walls of the vertical frame member 14. In addition to the bolts 26,each post 22 is also attached to its perimeter frame member 14 by meansof an angle bracket 28 which has one of its legs 28′ fastened to theframe member 14 and its other leg 28″ hooked around the post 22 andwhich serves as an anti-burst abutment for the gate 12 when foldedoutwardly to its erect position.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9 of the accompanying drawings, the folding gate12 similarly comprises an outer perimeter metal frame of tubular orangle section frame members 30, 31 to which are secured a solid plasticinfill panel 32 located on the inside of the frame members 30, 31. Aswith the gate 11, the panel 32 is clamped against the inside of theframe members 30, 31 by means of angle clamping members 35 and fasteningscrews (not shown) which pass through aligned holes formed in flange 36,panel 32 and frame member 31. Flange 37 of angle member 35 is spacedlaterally outwards from the vertical end wall 38 of frame member 31 soas to form a flange receiving slot or recess 40 for slidably locatinglocking flange 23 of C-section post 22 on the panel 11, when the panels11, 12 are in their erect in-use positions. The interlockingrelationship between the interlock members 22, 35 is dearly shown inFIG. 1 of the drawings.

Retractable latch bolts 42 are slidably mounted in each corner region ofthe gate 12 and can be conveniently retracted to permit the lockingflange 23 to engage in the slot 40 as the panel 12 is swung upwardly toits upright position. The latch bolt 42 is arranged to pass throughaligned holes formed in a wall of the frame member 31, locking flange 23and flange 37 of interlock member 35.

It will be appreciated that the modular design construction of the gates11, 12 provides increased design flexibility. The same gate module canbe used for both the side and end gates of the container. For the sidegates, only the C-section attachment members 22 need to be fitted to themodule on opposite vertical sides thereof. Also gates can be readilyinterchanged, eg by for example so as to convert a one-piece end gateinto a bi-fold gate which is divided horizontally into two halves hingedtogether to permit the two halves to hinge relative to one another, ormodified so as to include a hopper in its top or bottom half. Inaddition the infill panels of the gates can be readily changed, forexample from a one-piece solid plastics panel to a metal mesh infillpanel. This can be achieved by unscrewing the fasteners which secure theangle section damping members to the outer frame, removing the existinginfill panel and replacing it with a new one, and thereafter reattachingthe angle clamping members with the fastening screws to the outerperimeter metal frame.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerousvariations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown inthe specific embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as broadly described. The above-described embodiment istherefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive.

1. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having a rectangular infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel, four hollow corner post members, each corner post member terminating at its ends in a pair of laterally inwardly directed locking flanges, the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges being perpendicular to one another, frame attachment members attached to and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange receiving slot dimensioned to receive one of the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges therein such that the corner post members and frame attachment members interlock with one another when the container is in its erect in-use position, locking means to releasably lock the frame attachment members to the corner posts when in their interlocking erect in-use position, thereby locking each pair of adjacent side and end gates together in their erect in-use positions, wherein each corner post member terminates at one of its ends in said laterally inwards directed locking flange, the free edge of said locking flange being spaced laterally outwards from the vertical margin of the outer frame, and at its other end in an inturned inwardly directed attachment flange arranged to be attached to a respective said vertical margin of each of the outer frames; and further comprising detachable securing means for detachably securing each said corner post member along a respective vertical margin of its associated said gate, wherein said detachable securing means comprises a plurality of locking bolts movable between an extending locking position wherein each locking bolt passes through an aperture formed in said locking flange of the corner post member and a retracted unlocked position, in which position the corner post member can be detached from its associated said gate.
 2. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having a rectangular infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel, four hollow corner post members, each corner post member terminating at its ends in a pair of laterally inwardly directed locking flanges, the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges being perpendicular to one another, frame attachment members attached to and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange receiving slot dimensioned to receive one of the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges therein such that the corner post members and frame attachment members interlock with one another when the container is in its erect in-use position, and locking means to releasably lock the frame attachment members to the corner posts when in their interlocking erect in-use position, thereby locking each pair of adjacent side and end gates together in their erect in-use positions, wherein said locking means comprises a latching bolt mounted adjacent each of the upper corner regions of the end gates and which is arranged to pass through aligned holes or openings formed in the locking flange of the corner post member and a wall of the frame attachment member.
 3. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; a pair of opposite side gates and a pair of opposite end gates, each said gate pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having an infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel so as to define at least vertical margins thereof; said adjacent vertical margins of adjacent said gates when in their erect in-use positions, being interconnected by a corner post member detachably secured to and abutting each said vertical margin, each said corner post member having a hollow cross section that terminates at its ends in a pair of perpendicular inwardly directed locking flanges which respectively locate in outwardly opening flange receiving slots on the vertical margins of adjacent gates when the gates are in their erect in-use positions, the corner post members extending along the vertical margins of the gates, there being locking means for releasably locking each within its associated said flange receiving slot, wherein each of the gates has a two-flanged elongate angle frame member extending along each of its vertical margins with a first flange abutting the inner face of the infill panel and a second outwardly directed flange extending parallel to the vertical margin of the gate and spaced outwards therefrom so as to define said outwardly opening flange receiving slot extending along the entire length of the vertical edge of the gate, and wherein said locking means comprise slidable latch bolts mounted in upper and lower corners of each said gate, each said latch bolt, when in its latching position, respectively passing through aligned holes formed in the inwardly directly locking flanges of the corner post members, in the outwardly directed flange of the elongate angle frame members, and in the vertical margins of each said gate.
 4. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having a rectangular infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel, four hollow corner post members, each corner post member terminating at its ends in a pair of laterally inwardly directed locking flanges, the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges being perpendicular to one another, frame attachment members attached to and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange receiving slot dimensioned to receive one of the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges therein such that the corner post members and frame attachment members interlock with one another when the container is in its erect in-use position, locking means to releasably lock the frame attachment members to the corner posts when in their interlocking erect in-use position, thereby locking each pair of adjacent side and end gates together in their erect in-use positions, wherein each corner post member terminates at one of its ends in said laterally inwards directed locking flange, the free edge of said locking flange being spaced laterally outwards from the vertical margin of the outer frame, and at its other end in an inturned inwardly directed attachment flange arranged to be attached to a respective said vertical margin of each of the outer frames, and a detachable securing means for detachably securing each said corner post member along a respective vertical margin of its associated said gate, wherein each said side gate is provided with an angle section frame member extending along each of its vertical margins, each angle section frame member having one of its flanges abutting the inner face of the infill panel, and its other flange extending rearwardly and lying parallel to a vertical margin of the outer perimeter frame, said other flange being spaced from said vertical margin so as to define an elongate slot for receiving a respective said attachment flange of a said corner post member, wherein said locking means comprises a latching bolt mounted adjacent each of the upper corner regions of the end gates and which is arranged to pass through aligned holes or openings formed in the locking flange of the corner post member and a wall of the frame attachment member.
 5. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having a rectangular infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel, four hollow corner post members, each corner post member terminating at its ends in a pair of laterally inwardly directed locking flanges, the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges being perpendicular to one another, frame attachment members attached to and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange receiving slot dimensioned to receive one of the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges therein such that the corner post members and frame attachment members interlock with one another when the container is in its erect in-use position, and locking means to releasably lock the frame attachment members to the corner posts when in their interlocking erect in-use position, thereby locking each pair of adjacent side and end gates together in their erect in-use positions, wherein each corner post member terminates at one of its ends in said laterally inwards directed locking flange, the free edge of said locking flange being spaced laterally outwards from the vertical margin of the outer frame, and at its other end in an inturned inwardly directed attachment flange arranged to be attached to a respective said vertical margin of each of the outer frames, wherein said locking means comprises a latching bolt mounted adjacent each of the upper corner regions of the end gates and which is arranged to pass through aligned holes or openings formed in the locking flange of the corner post member and a wall of the frame attachment member.
 6. A collapsible storage container, comprising: a base; two pairs of opposite side and end gates each pivotally mounted with respect to the base for folding movement between an erect in-use position and a collapsed position on top of the base, each said gate having a rectangular infill panel having an inner face and an outer face, and an outer perimeter frame secured to the outer face of the infill panel, four hollow corner post members, each corner post member terminating at its ends in a pair of laterally inwardly directed locking flanges, the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges being perpendicular to one another, frame attachment members attached to and extending along opposite vertical margins of each of the end gates and defining therewith an outwardly opening locking flange receiving slot dimensioned to receive one of the laterally inwardly directed locking flanges therein such that the corner post members and frame attachment members interlock with one another when the container is in its erect in-use position, and locking means to releasably lock the frame attachment members to the corner posts when in their interlocking erect in-use position, thereby locking each pair of adjacent side and end gates together in their erect in-use positions, wherein each corner post member terminates at one of its ends in said laterally inwards directed locking flange, the free edge of said locking flange being spaced laterally outwards from the vertical margin of the outer frame, and at its other end in an inturned inwardly directed attachment flange arranged to be attached to a respective said vertical margin of each of the outer frames, wherein each said second perimeter frame attachment member is of angle cross-section having one flange contiguous with the inner face of its associated said infill panel, and its other flange projecting outwardly and lying parallel with a respective said vertical margin of the gate arid spaced therefrom so as to form a respective said flange receiving slot which extends approximately the length of the vertical edge of the gate, and detachable securing means for detachably securing each said frame attachment member along a respective vertical margin of its associated said gate.
 7. The collapsible storage container of claim 6, wherein said detachable securing means comprises a plurality of locking bolts movable between an extending locking position wherein each locking bolt passes through an aperture formed in said attachment flange of the corner post member and a retracted unlocked position, in which position the corner post member can be detached from its associated said gate.
 8. The collapsible storage container of claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises a spring-loaded slidable latching bolt mounted adjacent each of the upper corner regions of the end gates and which is arranged to pass through aligned holes or openings formed in the locking flange of the corner post member and a wall of the frame attachment member. 